Tatanagar: The two-member team from Railway Board’s Passenger Amenities Committee on Friday gave thumbs up to the A 1-category Tatanagar railway station during their maiden inspection on Friday.

The two members — Ashok Tripathi and LP Jayaswal were accompanied by divisional railway manager of Chakradharpur, Rajendra Prasad and senior divisional commercial manager Satyam Prakash.

“We have inspected the facilities and are satisfied with the facilities at the Tatanagar railway station. But, a lot needs to be done. You will find more passenger amenities coming up at Tatanagar in another six months or so,” said Tripathi soon after the inspection.

Apart from inspecting the passenger amenities on the platforms, the two members of the Railway Board went around the facilities at the computerised reservation centre, the waiting halls and railway canteen.

Tripathi said: “We have prepared our report and will discuss them with the railway zonal and divisional authorities for necessary improvements. For policy matters and issues like demand for trains those things are required to be discussed with the chairman of Railway Board.”

Referring to a complaint on pay toilet, which the two-member team got during the course of inspection Tripathi said he has asked railway authorities to either remove or impose penalty on the contrator running the facility (pay toilet) on the station premises.

Tripathi announced that a separate counter for ticket bookings will be opened for journalists at the Tatanagar railway station from tomorrow. He asked the DRM to look into it and ensure that the counter functions from on Saturday.

Meanwhile, DRM Rajendra Prasad said that tenders have been finalised and that the escalator and elevator facility at the Tatanagar railway station will start in the next six months. “The commissioner of railway safety has also given nod for extension of platform no 1. This will help in accomodating trains with 22 coaches,” said Prasad adding that two other railway stations under Chakradharpur division- Rourkela and Jharsuguda would also be equipped with escalators in the next six months or so.

The Tatanagar station assumes importance in view because it is located on the Howrah-Mumbai main route. Several important trains travel via Tatanagar, including the high-profile Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express. The station sees a daily traffic of 90 mail, express and passenger trains, besides a footfall of more than 60,000 passengers.

Escalator works at Tatanagar station to be completed within 6 months

Divisional railway manager of Chakradharpur Rajendra Prasad has said that the escalator and elevator at Tatanagar station would start functioning by the end of the year or early 2017 as the tenders had been finalised, while platform I would also be extended soon.

“The commissioner of railway safety has given his nod for extension of platform 1. This will help in accommodating trains with 22 coaches,” he explained on the sidelines of an inspection carried out on Friday at Tatanagar station by a two-member team of Railway Board’s Passenger Amenities Committee.

Prasad said similar extensions of platforms would also be carried out in seven other railway stations under the Chakradharpur division apart from Tatanagar.

Two other stations under Chakradharpur division, Rourkela and Jharsuguda, would also be equipped with escalators.

He said water vending machines, like the one at Tatanagar, would also come up at Rourkela and Jharsuguda railway stations soon.

The committee gave full marks to the A 1-category Tatanagar railway station during its maiden inspection of facilities.

“We are satisfied with the facilities at Tatanagar railway station. But, you will find more passenger amenities coming up at Tatanagar in another six months or so,” said Ashok Tripathi, after completing his rounds with team member L.P. Jayaswal.

Apart from reviewing passenger amenities on platforms, the committee members went around the computerised reservation centre, waiting halls and the railway canteen.

“We have come for a reality check on passenger amenities. We will discuss whatever lacunae we have found with the zonal and divisional authorities of the railways. On policy matters and issues like demand of new trains, discussions will need to be held with the chairman of Railway Board,” Tripathi told.

Referring to a complaint on pay-and-use toilets, which the two member team got during the course of it inspection, Tripathi said he had asked railway authorities to either remove, or impose a penalty on, the contractor running the facility on the station premises.

He also announced a separate booking counter for journalists at the Tatanagar railway station and asked the DRM to ensure it starts to function from Saturday.